Animus Muto
by Mrs. Potter's Lullaby
Summary: A strange discovery is made about Draco Malfoy. Formerly called "Draco!" cos we had no inspiration whilst picking the title. No slash. DMOC
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer**_: We own none of the characters used in the following story, with the poosible exception of Mairead, and Eleanor. The rest belong to the wonderful JKR.

**_Timeframe:_** Harry's 7th Year.

**_Summary:_** A strange discovery is made about Draco Malfoy. Unfortunatly for you, you're probably going to have to wait several chapters to discover what this discovery is!

* * *

Sirius Black plopped into a chair in the kitchen of his childhood home, 12 Grimmauld Place. His hands were shaking slightly and his face was pale, despite the fact that it had been ten minutes since he had awoken in a cold sweat from a vague nightmare of his time behind the veil. Not wanting to wake his recently rediscovered wife, Mairead (Ma-raid), who was sleeping soundly beside him, or his newly found daughter, Eleanor, snoring softly in the next room, he had crept down the stairs to the kitchen where he could ponder his dream in without worry.  
  
Although he had had nightmares regularly since he had found himself at Hogwarts with nothing but sketchy memories of the time after his cousin had stunned him and he had fallen through the veil, this was the first one in months. He knew perfectly well that the reappearance of his muggle wife was the reason for his lack of nightmares of late, and wished that pleasant circumstance could have continued. He was finding that the mere few months he had spent in that unknown place were haunting him worse than his 12-year incarceration in the wizarding prison, Azkaban. This was made worse by the fact that no-one, not even Dumbledore knew for certain where the cold, damp place he dreamed of was, and had even less idea how he had got back home.  
  
A burst of purple light from the fire behind him and a soft pop announced the presence of someone's head in the fire. Sure enough, when he turned round, the wrinkled face and long white beard of his former headmaster greeted him. Dumbledore didn't look surprised to see him in the kitchen, despite the fact that the clock above the mantelpiece proclaimed that it was only 5-o'clock in the morning. Sirius wondered idly if the man was as all knowing as he appeared or if he had just perfected the art of never showing surprise.  
  
He was torn from his thoughts by the other wizard's cheerful "Good morning, Sirius!"  
  
He grunted in reply.  
  
"Sorry to disturb you so early" the Headmaster continued, unperturbed. "I was just wondering if you knew whether Narcissa Malfoy had any tattoos?"  
  
A rather confused look passed over Sirius' face. "No. No, I don't think so, or at least she didn't. She always hated them; I don't suppose she'd get one. Other than the Dark Mark, of course. Why?"  
  
"All in good time, my boy. All in good time." The expression on the younger man's face clearly showed that he would have liked to object to this particular sentiment, but knew it was fruitless, and so refrained.  
  
"Order meeting tomorrow, as soon as Harry and the Weasleys arrive, Sirius: I'll see you then. I would suggest you get a little more sleep" he finished, and then disappeared with a small pop.  
  
Acting on Dumbledore's advice, Sirius dragged himself up to the bedroom he shared with Mairead and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

* * *

Harry arrived at 10 o'clock the next morning, escorted by Tonks, Moody, Kingsley Shackbolt and Remus. He was introduced to Mairead and Eleanor, and seemed to like them very much. He only knew about them through Sirus' letters, but the group fell into easy conversation about the improvements that had been made to the house, sitting comfortably around one end of the large oak table in the kitchen. When Harry had smiled and told its residents that the new bright and cheery look of the once dark house was a decided improvement, the conversation drifted to other matters.  
  
In consequence, when the Weasleys arrived, half an hour late, as usual, Harry was listening intently as Mairead told him how she had met her husband once again. She had to recount the story of how she and Sirius had both gone to visit Lily and James' grave at the same time for the benefit Ron, Hermione (who had come with the Weasleys) and Ginny, since they only caught the tail end of the conversation. When questioned as to how she knew he wasn't guilty, she replied that she had never thought that he was in the first place, and was rewarded with an arduous kiss on her lips from her unusually happy husband.  
  
Eleanor rolled her eyes and informed her companions that her parents had hardly stopped kissing since they had met again. Harry retorted that Sirius was happier than he had ever seen him, and if that meant that he had to watch some rather disturbing public displays of affection, then he was going to have to learn to live with it.  
  
"If you think that is bad, you should have seen them when they first got together," was Remus' input.  
  
The kiss finished when Tonks cleared her throat loudly. A blushing Mairead apologised, and changed the subject. She had just finished informing Harry how she knew his parents (she had been Lily's next door neighbour and best friend) when the rest of the Order began arriving.  
  
Dumbledore was the last to arrive, and stood in the doorway observing the interactions of his friends.  
  
Ron and Hermione were having a whispered argument at the end of the table furthest from the door, under the amused gaze of Harry and his girlfriend Ginny, who was sitting on his lap. He smiled slightly. Despite the fact that Ron and Hermione had been a couple for about a year, it seemed the only change in their regular arguments was the way they made up afterwards.  
  
Sirius and Mairead sat in a world of their own, chairs so close together that they were touching, next to Harry and Ginny. Eleanor sat beside them, looking through an album of muggle photographs. Opposite her, Remus and Tonks were having an animated conversation on the subject of unicorns, of all things, and net to and across from them Arthur Weasley was chatting with his sons, Bill and Charlie, about Quidditch.  
  
Professors McGonagall, Snape and Flitwick were talking quietly together with Molly Weasley and Kingsley Shackbolt at the end of the table nearest him. They were discussing the whom the mysterious Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was going to be for Harry's 7th and last year, which started in just a month. No one save Dumbledore and said teacher had any idea.  
  
There were others there: Moody, Percy Weasley and Dung Fletcher, for example. The two redheads conspiring in the corner were obviously the Weasley Twins. He wondered what they were up to now.  
  
Deciding that it was time to start, he cleared his throat to bring them to order. Anyone who was not already sitting to the table quickly did so, and he took his place between Minerva and Severus.  
  
Dumbledore smiled at the witches and wizards surrounding him, his most trusted friends and allies: the inner circle of the Order of the Phoenix. Although its numbers stretched into the hundreds, the twenty or so who had formed the "Order Mark 2" (as Sirius Called it), plus a few other important and trusted members, did the majority of the planning, and they were the ones present.  
  
Once he was sure that he had everyone's attention he began to speak.  
  
"I'd like to welcome today two new members. The first is Sirius' wife, Mairead Black..." he paused a moment.  
  
"And the other..."  
  
Moody cut him off. "How do we know that she's not a spy, I mean it's not like anyone here has been in contact with her over the last decade." Unnoticed by everyone else, Remus blushed guiltily. "How do we know that she's not working for Him?"  
  
Sirius was on his feet in seconds, ready to defend his wife, but Mairead pushed him back down gently, getting to her feet herself.  
  
"I can assure you that I am no spy. You may question me under Veritaserum if you do so wish, but I don't think Voldemort," - a few people flinched, but she ignored them - "Accepts muggles into his ranks anyway."  
  
A few occupants of the room looked surprised, others confused ("What use is a muggle going to be in the Order anyway?"). A wave of chatter swept over the room.  
  
Dumbledore held up his hand for silence.  
  
"I not only trust Mairead implicitly, as I do everyone in this room, but I am also convinced of that her knowledge of the muggle world, her lateral thinking and her formidable research skills will be incredibly valuable to the Order. She was a member of the original Order, but because she lived in the Muggle World for the last decade, she had not idea that Voldemort had returned. She is a very intelligent young woman and I am convinced she will help us in our goal."  
  
Mairead, blushing, hid her head in her husband's shoulder.  
  
Dumbledore, oblivious, continued. "The other new member is Sirius' daughter Eleanor. She is a witch but has had no schooling, so I hope I can rely on everyone here to help her so she can join 6th year with Miss Weasley in September."  
  
There was a murmur of agreement, and Eleanor blushed to the roots of her auburn hair under everyone's scrutiny.  
  
"Right, and on to more serious business. The raid on the Malfoys was..."  
  
He stopped as he was interrupted again, this time by Eleanor.  
  
"Hold on!" she requested. "Malfoy? As in Draco Malfoy?"  
  
There were confused nods all round, except from Mairead, who had some idea where this was going.  
  
Eleanor fished the photo album out from under the table and plucked a photo out behind the plastic cover.  
  
"As in this Draco Malfoy?" she questioned, slapping the photograph down onto the table in front of her.

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Reveiwers are encouraged! Expect the next chapter sometime next week.

Cait and Meg :)


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer**_: The characters in tis story do not belong to us, save for Mairead and Eleanor.

Many thanks to our two reviewers, zuvalupa and sassy-diva2004.

* * *

_"Hold on!" she requested. "Malfoy? As in Draco Malfoy?"  
  
There were confused nods all round, except from Mairead, who had some idea where this was going.  
  
Eleanor fished the photo album out from under the table and plucked a photo out behind the plastic cover.  
  
"As in this Draco Malfoy?" she questioned, slapping the photograph down onto the table in front of her._  
  
Everyone peered at it. It was a wizarding photograph, surprisingly enough, as even her parents thought that she had only found out about the Wizarding World a few months ago. But even more remarkably, the photo showed an 11- year-old Draco dancing in an uncharacteristically jaunty manner with a pretty red head, who was obviously a 10-year-old Eleanor. Everyone watched in astonishment as the boy collapsed into helpless fits of giggles, quickly followed by the girl. When they had recovered form their laughter they looked up and waved at their audience, large grins fixed on their faces.  
  
Eleanor looked up at them, searching each one for a sign that they knew her childhood friend. Evidently, they did, if the looks of shock on their faces were any guide.  
  
"Can I see him?" she asked, excited.  
  
The despairing look all of her companions gave put a damper on her joy.  
  
"He's not dead is he? Please tell me he's not dead!"  
  
Silence reigned as she peered intently at each face; no one wanting to tell the girl that her friend had become someone who hated people like her.  
  
It was Sirius who eventually got up the courage to dispel her dreams.  
  
"No, no he's not dead" he said slowly.  
  
"What then?" she demanded. "What?"  
  
"He's a Death Eater," her father blurted out. "I'm sorry Ellie"  
  
Her face blanched and she sat down quickly, muttering that she couldn't believe it under her breath.  
  
Silence reigned.  
  
Dumbledore was the one to break it. He smiled encouragingly at Eleanor, and continued speaking.  
  
"This is something we will need to explore further later, but for now, we need to know about the raid on Malfoy Manor. Kingsley, if you would?"  
  
Kingsley accepted his cue, and rose to his feet.  
  
"As you all know, we have been planning a raid on Malfoy Manor for several months. You'll be pleased to know that it went off without a hitch yesterday evening..."  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
The front door of 12 Grimmauld Place clicked shut behind them just as the grandfather clock chimed out 10 o'clock. The invisible party that had just left was made up 10 members of the Order: Moody, Tonks, Percy Weasley (who had become an Auror after Fudge had resigned), Kingsley Shackbolt, and three other Aurors. Severus Snape, who knew where the secret passages were in Malfoy Manor, and how to disable the Wards was there too. Remus (who had developed the invisibility charm they were using for the first time in a combat situation) was the tenth "Phoenix".  
  
Seconds later, the road was empty of human life.  
  
The group re-appeared at Stonehenge, chosen as a meeting spot for its distinctiveness and its closeness to the Malfoys'. Remus took the Charm off himself so that the expected group of elite Aurors could see him when they aperated in. Their presence would ensure that the raid was legal, and anything found there would count against the Malfoys in court.  
  
When the group had appeared, been greeted and the Charm had been performed on them, the aperated to the outskirts Malfoy Manor.  
  
Many complex spells and enchantments protected the Manor. If anyone cast one glance at the manor, all they would see is the country air and the green grass, unless they knew the spell to disable the wards. This is why Severus Snape was present. He put an invisible hand into his invisible pocket and drew out his invisible wand. The whispered incantation broke the still silence of the night, and Malfoy Manor shimmered into view.  
  
It was easier than they expected. Lucius and Draco were in the dinning room, and were so absorbed in conversation about their latest bout of muggle torture that they did not notice that anything was amiss until they lay, stunned and bound on the floor.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"We have enough evidence from the house to send both Draco and Lucius to Azkaban, including Prior Incantato, which when performed on their wands revealed that several Unforgivable and other Dark curses have been performed by them in the recent past. The Malfoys will find it very difficult to buy their way out of this one," Kingsley finished.  
  
"And Narcissa?" someone asked.  
  
"She was found locked in a seven foot square room at the top of the house, kept under the imperious curse, in a very bad condition. She is currently at St Mungos" Dumbledore answered. "When she is a little better she will come back here to recover."  
  
There was a mass outcry at his words, as everyone in the room expressed their surprise and reservations simultaneously. The Headmaster held up his hand for silence.  
  
"We have no evidence against her; her wand has not been found, and she does not bear the Dark Mark," he explained patiently.  
  
Sirius snorted sceptically.  
  
"'Cissa?" he questioned. "Not have the Dark Mark? What alternate universe have I woken up in?"  
  
There was a moment of silence. Then Phillip Fielding spoke up. Phillip was the head of the Auror Division of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement, and had joined the Order shortly after the events at the Ministry of Magic at the end of Harry's fifth year. Although he trusted Dumbledore, he was, as yet, not completely convinced of Sirius' innocence.  
  
"'Cissa?" he mocked. "And may I ask, Mr. Black, if you weren't a Death Eater, where did you get to know Mrs. Malfoy so well that you call her by a nickname? And how do you know whether she has the Mark or not?"  
  
Sirius paled with fury and rose to his feet. His family was still a sore spot for him. He did try to avoid calling his cousins by their old nicknames, but sometimes they just slipped out. It annoyed him when people drew attention to his slip-ups.  
  
"Were you aware, Mr Fielding, that Narcissa Malfoy was my cousin? No?" he asked, mocking in turn. Phillip shook his head.  
  
"Of course I called her by a nickname. I grew up with her. I loved her. And as for me knowing whether she has the Mark, did I ever tell you why I left home?"  
  
Again, the Head Auror shook his head.  
  
"I was sixteen, and 'Cissa and 'Trix, or Narcissa and Bellatrix, if that makes you feel better, came for tea. They showed my parents their Dark Marks and told them about what they had been doing the previous night. Do you know what it was that they were so proud about?"  
  
Another shake of his head, no.  
  
"They went to a Muggle Orphanage, and tortured and killed every single child there. And my parents were _delighted_. Kept saying how they wished I was more like them. Even my twelve-year-old brother, Reg, was _fascinated._ Do you know what I did?"  
  
A similar shake followed.  
  
"I threw up. And then I told them that they were disgusting. And I left, went to the Potters' place. The only thing I ever did wrong was to love the whole disgusting family in the first place."  
  
And with that, Sirius pushed his chair back with a creak and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

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Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

disclaimer: Only the plot belongs to us.

Thank you to our 3 reviwers ColeForever16, daniel-radcliffes-girl (this chapter has some other people romance and the next few chapters will have Draco Romance so keep reading) and zuvalupa.

* * *

Mairead stood up and followed her husband out of the door, though not before she shot an accusing glance at Phillip. Harry, too, was about to follow suit when he felt Ginny's arm on his.  
  
"Don't," she whispered. "Mairead can handle it. You saw them earlier, didn't you?" Harry felt his anger wane at Ginny's warm touch. He retook his seat and put his other hand on hers, squeezing it in gratitude.  
  
"The only unusual thing we found on Narcissa was this tattoo. I mean, apart from the fact that she was locked in a small room, kept under the imperious curse, and doesn't have a dark mark." Dumbledore passed a photo of this tattoo around. It was a pentagram with a two-way arrow through it. "We used Mairead's muggle camera to take the photo. Does anyone recognise this symbol?" No one replied so Dumbledore went on:  
  
"We have about eleven people staying here, if I might ask them to do research, and that will be quite sufficient. Thank you all for coming and you may return home now"  
  
Dumbledore told everyone if there was any significant news he would contact them immediately.  
  
Harry looked over at Ginny who smiled and he gave her a slow smile back. They held eye contact for about five minutes totally oblivious to what was going on around them.  
  
Dumbledore had noticed that all four teenagers were wearing rather dirty robes, the anti-apparition and anti-portkey barriers, and the fact that the house was no longer on the floo network meant that everyone had to fly to the house by broom, a method of transport not conductive to clean clothing.  
  
"Miss Granger, Miss Weasley and Mr Potter and Mr Weasley if you are paying any attention, I think it would be a good idea if you had a break before we started to research, maybe you can get changed into some more comfortable clothes?"  
  
Hermione stood up, put her hand out to help Ron up and pulled him up.  
  
"That sounds like a good idea," she stated.  
  
Ron being the complete and utter fool he was said  
  
"Ok I will see you..." He caught Hermione's glare and thought better of it. "Yes I need to get some clean clothes on" and left the room.  
  
"Yeah, maybe I do to. Gin, you coming?" Harry yawned. Ginny nodded.  
  
Once outside Harry turned to Ginny and said, "Maybe we should check which room Ron is in before we go in."  
  
Seeing Ginny's puzzled look he said "Well he's your brother and Hermione and him are my best mates, I would prefer them to do what they do not in front of me. Don't you agree?"  
  
As the realisation dawned on Ginny he gently kissed her and gave her the smile he reserved just for her.  
  
"We better go get changed." Harry said rather reluctantly as Ginny lay her head against his and their lips brushed once more.  
  
"Ok. Promise me you won't get hurt this holiday. Please?" she spoke as if she was a three year old and pouted when he didn't promise. Harry bent down kissed her she felt his answer press against her mouth.  
  
When Harry got upstairs, he paused outside the bedroom door and yelled through it to Ron and Hermione.  
  
"I'm coming in now; you better be decent, Ron. And Herms if you're in there you better be 10 meters away from Ron."  
  
He heard a pop and he went in Ron was sitting on his bed.  
  
"Why were you yelling so loudly all I was doing was changing," Ron told him. Harry grinned, Ron obviously thought this was a good argument. What he didn't realised he looked somewhat dishevelled.  
  
"Well Ron I might be ugly-"  
  
"Your not"" came Ginny's indignant cry  
  
"- But I'm not stupid. You are wearing the same clothes as before and have lipstick smeared on your face. Hermione's in fact! God Ron, we HEARD her apparating out of here."  
  
Ron went red and as he did so the cupboard wobbled. Ginny jumped back in surprise. Harry opened the door and Hermione stumbled out.  
  
"I apperated in there by mistake. Umm I wasn't in here Harry, I was apparating down stairs. And my lost the key to my door... and then I went to find Ginny who told me..." Hermione trailed off into silence as she saw Ginny out of the corner of her eye, Ginny coughed.  
  
"You didn't, I've been with my boyfriend the whole time. Just tell the truth." After this three people blushed: Ron because he and Hermione had been found out; Hermione because she and Ron had been found out and Harry because Ginny had just called him her "boyfriend" in front of his best friend and her brother.  
  
"Well girls if you don't mind, I need to change and I think Ron does too." The silence that had fallen like a mist over the four teenagers broke as Harry shared this piece of information.  
  
The girls exited. Harry and Ron got changed in silence. Harry caught Ron's eyes and they both laughed.  
  
They gave each other a nod and walked out of the door. They met Hermione on the stairs. Hermione had grown up recently; though she still had the bushy hair she had always had. She had grown up mentally rather than physically, though after spending sometime with Ginny had begun wearing a hint of lip- gloss or lipstick and a few other bits of make up. She and Ginny had grown closer and Hermione liked to take Ginny to muggle London, shopping, she had even got Harry and Ron on the shopping trip. Their wardrobes were full of muggle clothing, new muggle clothing.  
  
Harry was wearing a crimson tee shirt with a pair of baggy jeans and an blue and grey checked Oneil shirt over the top. He felt comfortable like this. Ron's clothes were similar but his shirt was a navy blue quicksilver shirt with a paler blue tee shirt underneath.  
  
They walked down the stairs and on the fourth floor landing Harry's arm was grabbed by a shadow in the dark. This startled harry but he felt the tingle made by the arm touching him and he knew it was Ginny. He pulled her down the stairs to the kitchen, where everyone else was assembled except Sirius and his family and oddly Dumbledore.  
  
Harry and Ginny heard a commotion out side as the door was being opened. Mrs Black the first's screeches shook the house.  
  
"Filthy half bloods and mutants befouling the house of my fathers...blood traitors and werewolves...how dare you come here...Is that 'Cissa? Put her down. What have you done you old half-witted muggle loving fool?"  
  
Harry and Ginny saw a surprising sight Dumbledore carrying a prone figure in his arms. Harry found it astonishing how an old man like Dumbledore possessed enough strength to carry a tall adult woman.  
  
"Harry, Ginny go and sit down because we are going to hear Miss Black's story about she knows Mr Malfoy."  
  
Sirius entered holding Mairead's hand and his other hand resting on Ellie's shoulder. They sat down and Harry moved closer to his godfather. Sirius gave a Harry a nod of acknowledgement, saying he was all right.  
  
"Miss Black are you ready?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Well, fire away then."  
  
"When I was younger, about three, mum used to work in a clothes shop, she used to design them and then people would make them. She used to work all day and some time most of the night. There was a nice lady who lived next door to us her name was April and she used to look after me when mum was away. She had one grown up daughter who lived with her called Joan. Joan worked in the big posh house near our house. It scared all the kids round our area. Joan used to bring the little boy named Draco, who was the son of the owners of the big house, home in the holidays and some days when his parents were on holiday or away for the day. We used to play a lot and he was really fun. I thought he was really great because he had lots of stories about magic, which at the time I thought were only stories. Well anyway April got quite ill and was taken into hospital and later on that month she died.  
  
Joan got fired from her maid job and was unemployed. Mum, who felt very sorry for her gave her a maid's job in our house.  
  
Mum was getting much more work now and wasn't at home often. But still Joan brought the little boy to our house when she could. I was about 5 now and over the years Draco and me became very close until one day his mother did this funny pop thing and was in our living room. She hit Joan and threw fire out of a piece of wood at her. Draco hid in our bathroom and when she found his she cried "Crucio" and he wriggled in pain. She left him there and it was then that I knew about magic.  
  
He must have stayed with us long enough for him to tell me about magic when his father burst in and took him home. From then on he used the fire to get from his house to ours and the photo is the one from my birthday, my 10th birthday and on this day he also got his Hogwarts letter. He told me I would probably get to go to Hogwarts. He said he would write everyday and he gave me an owl. He cried a bit when he left as well. I wrote to him once and got such a cold reply back from him basically saying his father had forbidden him to talk to muggles and that I was beneath him.  
  
That's the last I heard from him" Ellie finished her story with a sigh.  
  
"Thank you Miss Black." Dumbledore said softly. "Could I ask you to go and keep an eye on after Mrs Malfoy for a while.  
  
Ellie went to the room with Mrs Malfoy in and sat on a chair near her bed. The figure began talking in her sleep.  
  
"Father don't... NO... Please don't...Father... I don't care...no... Don't call her that... NO! Father...please father it doesn't matter...no...she's my friend... please don't...I wont Father"  
  
Suddenly she realised that someone was watching her. She turned around there was her dad. She thought she could ask him about Narcissa's Dad.  
  
"Dad when did Narcissa's dad die?"  
  
"Way before she was born. Why?"  
  
"Because she is talking about him in her sleep."  
  
"Ill get Dumbledore."  
  
Ellie sat back down and faced Narcissa once again. Narcissa was still talking about her Dad.  
  
"Don't kill her father...please don't...ill do anything...Father... No...she hasn't corrupted me...she's a human like you...please father..."  
  
Narcissa's eyes shot open. A confused look passed her face. The bloodshot eyes focused on Ellie.  
  
"Nora?" she said and fell back into the eerie lands of her unconsciousness.

Thank You and Please do review it helps us to undersand were we are going wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Disclaimer:_** We don't own anything you recognise.

**_Summary:_**The discovery!

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"_Don't kill her father...please don't...ill do anything...Father... No...she hasn't corrupted me...she's a human like you...please father..." _

_Narcissa's eyes shot open. A confused look passed her face. The bloodshot eyes focused on Ellie. _

"_Nora?" she said and fell back into the eerie lands of her unconsciousness._

* * *

Meanwhile, downstairs in the kitchen, the table was piled high with books, both from the Black family library and the Hogwarts library. The vast majority of them were on the Dark Arts, as Dumbledore was almost certain that Narcissa's tattoo had something to do with Dark Magic.

In the room sat nine persons: Hermione, her head buried in a book so heavy that she had to rest it on the floor, or the table would collapse, and Ron searching half-heartedly through a much smaller book. Ginny and Harry lay on their stomachs next to the fire, books close together and shoulders touching. Although they appeared, to the casual observer, to be diligently studying said books, anyone who knew the couple well might notice that more of their attention was focused on their clasped hands that the crisp brown pages that they turned at regular intervals.

Remus was doing a much better job. He was thoroughly absorbed in a book entitled _The Dark Arts and Their Effects on the Human Body, _a 14th Century book written in Latin. Despite the somewhat disturbing passages it contained, Remus was genuinely interested in the contents of the tome, for purely professional reasons of course, and this meant that he was probably paying more attention to his book that anyone else in the room. Tonks sat next to him at the large oak table. She was not even pretending to research, having given up on understanding the archaic language in her own book ten minutes ago. She had her hands cupped around an empty tea cup (Hermione had sent her away from the books while it was full), watching Remus curiously, wondering how he could be so interested in such a book.

Mairead was also sitting at the table. She had been sharing another book between her and Sirius, also written in Latin, and Sirius had translated in a soft voice while Mairead jotted down any useful information on a pad. Now Sirius had gone upstairs to check on Ellie, she was rereading her notes, looking for anything useful.

Arthur had transfigured one of the kitchen chairs into a soft, plush couch and he and Molly sat on it side-by-side, each with a book on their lap, also studying intently.

Bill had gone back to Egypt after the Order meeting, he had to work tomorrow, and the twins were working at the joke shop. Charlie had gone to talk to Hagrid about Norbert, he had brought an album full of photos for the gamekeeper to look at.

The only sound in the room was the swish of turning pages and the crackling of the fire, charmed not to give off too much heat for the summer day.

Ron, much to Hermione's annoyance, had broken the silence regularly, exclaiming over the things that he read ("Ugh, a curse to eviscerate someone!" "Hey, I've always wondered if I could turn Malfoy into a girl!") until both Hermione and Remus had hissed at him to be quiet simultaneously. Now he too sat, chastised, in silence.

Hermione turned the page of her book, and found the beginning of the next chapter, which was entitled _Body Swaps._ Glancing down the page, she noticed a picture of the tattoo, with numbered arrows to show the way that it was drawn. She let out a gasp, which echoed round the nearly silent room. Everyone looked up at her inquiringly, but she ignored their curiosity, instead reading on to pick up as many details as she could.

When she had read the passage thoroughly she looked up and smiled a triumphant grin at her companions and said, "Call Dumbledore. I've found it."

Minutes later, Dumbledore was in the room, and at his suggestion, Hermione read out loud the passage she had found.

"_The Animus Muto is a spell in which causes the souls of the two subjects to leave the body in which they dwell and take up residence in the body of their counterpart. Essentially, the souls are exchanged, giving the each party full control of the other's body, and no recognition of their own. This was most commonly found in Ancient Egypt, where dying Pharaohs would use the exchange to inhabit their heir's bodies in order to increase the length of their reign. _

_The spell is invoked using a complicated ritual performed by the most powerful of the subjects. The other subject does not need to consent to the procedure. The subjects sit with in a circle of sacred sand mixed with ground sage and dried dragon's blood. A tattoo is inked onto both the subjects with a potion made of the blood from the liver of a toad, a boomslang skin and a little blood from each subject. Instructions on how to make this potion can be found on the next page. The tattoo is in the shape of a pentagram with a double-headed arrow bisecting it, as shown below, and the lines must me drawn in the illustrated order. The caster touches his wand to the other subject's temple and his other hand rests on their forehead. Then the words of the curse: "Animus Muto" are invoked. The procedure may take several minutes and will be very painful, but the caster must not break his connection with the subject or both souls will be lost into the Ether._"

There was absolute silence.

* * *

Upstairs, Ellie had come to a conclusion. That woman lying in front of her was not Narcissa Malfoy. In fact "that woman" was not a woman. This was Draco, her best friend. No one else had ever called her "Nora". And his mutterings made sense too. Obviously Lucius had found out about their friendship, and threatened to kill her.

"..._She's a human like you..."_ he had said.

So Drake had tried to persuade his father that she was human, that their friendship was not wrong. She winced, imagining Lucius' reaction. He must have got one hell of a beating for that. And that explained his cold reaction to her letter too.

Deep in thought, she was unaware that her father was watching her from the door, concerned about her pale face, and horrified expression.

He came forward and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She jumped, startled and looked up at him.

"I know what the tattoo's for," she announced.

And with that, she ran out of the room, clattered her way down the stairs and into the hallway. Sirius followed her quickly.

Ellie threw open the kitchen door just in time to hear Dumbledore's summary.

"So we know that it is not Narcissa upstairs, but someone else in her body. And we have no idea who it is."

Everyone turned round at the sound of the door opening.

"I do. I know who it is, it's Draco."

Shocked silence once again descended on the party.

"May I ask what leads you to this conclusion, Miss Black," Dumbledore questioned.

"He recognised me, and called me Nora. No one else ever did. And he was talking in his sleep. Besides it explains why the Draco you know and the Draco I knew are so different."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, and this explains why there is no Dark Mark on Narcissa's body too. The Dark Mark is tied to the soul, not to the forearm. Miss Tonks, would it be possible for you to go and check if Mr Malfoy has this tattoo on his arm?"

Tonks nodded and left.

"So," Mr Weasley started. "How do we put this right?"

Hermione looked worried. "It doesn't say anything about a countercurse here."

Remus nodded. "We're going to have to do more research," he said with a sigh.

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	5. Chapter 5

**_Disclaimer:_** Not ours!

Many thanks to our two reveiwers, **Zuvalupa** and **daniel-radcliffes-girl**. We are also thanking those who reveiwed chapter three (**Zuvalupa** and **daniel-radcliffes-girl**) and appologise for not doing it in the last chapter. Anyone who feels like reveiwing is encouraged to, we rather enjoy reading them.

* * *

"_So," Mr Weasley started. "How do we put this right?"_

_Hermione looked worried. "It doesn't say anything about a counter curse here."_

_Remus nodded. "We're going to have to do more research," he said with a sigh._

They took all the searched books and bought a whole new batch. While his parents were out looking for more books, Ron took their seat. Hermione brought two books over and snuggled into his chest and he balanced a book on her head. Remus sighed as he sat down on a newly transfigured squashy chair and brought out a big book.

Harry and Ginny sat by the fire again but realised that if they held hands they couldn't search the books. And maybe some one would notice they weren't doing anything to help. So when Harry sat down Ginny sat on his lap and took out a big book between them.

Mrs Weasley sat at the kitchen table and scanned a big book with Mr Weasley sitting opposite reading a small book.

Mairead was sitting upstairs, in the room with Sirius and Ellie keeping an eye on Draco as Narcissa.

Tonks had been in the Library and had just walked in to sit down on a chair

"Uhummm," coughed Remus as Tonks almost sat on him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." she said her face flushed and sat down as far away from Remus as possible.

Remus was just as red and quickly busied himself with his book, though could be seen sneaking glances at Tonks.

After what seemed like hours a large hooting was heard.

"Hogwarts letters." Said Ginny. And all of the four teenagers walked to find them. Instead of the owl they found...

"Bill!"

"Hey Gin," he said with a smile. Ginny ran up and hugged Bill. "Wow don't knock me over!"

Ginny blushed. Harry thought that she looked pretty when she blushed and so gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Ginny, I have only been away for a few days, you act like its been years." Bill laughed. "Dumbledore's given the Hogwarts letters along with some other stuff."

He handed the letters to Ginny, Ron and Harry and Hermione. Ron opened his and sat down.

"Ron...I...I...I'm head girl," squealed Hermione with pleasure that Ron gave her a big hug and a kiss right there and then.

"I wonder who made head boy, 'cos I don't think it could be Malfoy as he isn't Malfoy any more. It could be Ernie I suppose. What do you reckon Harry?"

"Well... I know who it is..."

"Who?"

"Harry come on, and how do you know," asked Hermione.

"It's me." He said finally.

"Wow! Well done mate, let's go and tell mum."

"Harry?" said Ginny and gave him a big hug.

"I've got Draco's and Ellie's with mine," she said "let's go and give them it."

All four of them walked over to the little room where lay Draco as Narcissa. When they got in Ellie was asleep on her hands and Draco hadn't awoken from his slumber. Mairead and Sirius had left merely minutes previously, but not before covering their slumbering daughter in a woollen blanket.

Harry and Ginny left the room, leaving the Hogwarts letter next to them.

They went into the kitchen and saw Mrs Weasley and Bill having a discussion.

"I'm not sure..."

"MUM, Dumbledore told me to."

"If your sure... I suppose if Dumbledore said so... ok then."

Sirius and Mairead were sitting at one end and, to their amusement Tonks and Remus were trying their best to keep as far away from each other as possible. Privately, Sirius gave them a fortnight before they were trying to do the exact opposite.

Molly and Bill's argument reached a standing point, as Molly conceded to her son, and Ron drew in a deep breath, intending to shout the good news to everyone in the kitchen.

"I'm Head Girl!" Hermione got there before Ron could.

"Wow. Well done Hermione!"

"I knew you would be. Such a good student." Said Remus.

"Who is head boy?" asked Sirius.

"Me!" Harry replied, though he didn't sound as happy as Hermione about it.

"Congratulations Harry, well done."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "_Someone's_ following in their father's footsteps. Oh well, at least you aren't chasing the Head Girl!" he teased.

"I should hope not!" Ginny put in.

And the praise went on for along time.

Soon Bill said "Guys, I'm taking the four teenagers to Diagon Alley to get there school stuff."

"Cool, what about Ellie, you gunna but her stuff and take it home?" asked Ginny. Bill gave a quick nod of the head and told them to go and get sorted for the trip.

The teenagers quickly got ready and left through the front door. They aperated out to The Leaky Caldron. (A/n Ginny is old enough to do her apperation test, as her birthday is The 1st of February)

"Ok guys you can go off, I have something to do for Professor Dumbledore, meet you in the ice cream parlour in an hour." Bill said when they got there.

Bill walked off to do what he wanted to do or had to do. Harry looked at Hermione and Ron, their hands joined and there eyes locked. He took Ginnys hand and said,

"Guys we will meet you here in 45 minuets, so we can hang together, ok?"

They all agreed and Ginny took that as permission to go off. She dragged Harry off to the bookshop to buy their schoolbooks.

Hermione and Ron decided to go for a little walk, just to browse around. Ron saw a member of the Slytherin Quidditch team and pulled Hermione into a little alcove. They were very squished, as there was limited space in the cupboard. Ron thought this would be a good time to finish the congratulatory kiss he had started in the hall.

Ron bowed down and brushed his lips against Hermione's, she responded by deepening the kiss. She soon felt his tongue dance along the edge of her bottom lip. And she was more than willing to allow him entrance. When they finally stopped Hermione glanced down at her watch.

"Ron it's almost time to meet Gin and Harry, we better go and finish the shopping," she cried when she saw the time. They did there shopping as fast as they could and then went back to meet Harry and Ginny.

Harry was sitting on a stool near the ice cream factory Ginny's head on his shoulder. He thought about kissing her right there and then but he didn't want to embarrass himself or her in front of people she knew. Fortunately Ginny had other ideas and sat up and kissed his ear, then went a trail of kisses all the way down to his mouth where she finally place a small sweet kiss squarely on his lips.

"There's Ron and Hermione. Why don't we go with them to the Leaky Cauldron for a butterbeer then meet Bill at the ice cream parlour," said Harry. And they did.

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	6. Chapter 6

Many thanks to **zuvalupa, **our single reveiwer. She has reveiwed everyone of our chapters so far, so thank you.

* * *

After the trip, the four teenagers came and sat down in the kitchen. Remus was hidden behind a huge pile of books and Tonks next to him. Mrs Weasley was cooking something on the stove and the rest were either in bed or with Ellie. The doorbell rang and Mrs Black began shouting.

"That will be Fred, George, Percy and Charlie and Fluer." Said Mr Weasley going to open the door.

"Harry, Ron and Hermione and maybe you too Ginny, When we get Draco back in his own body it is going to be hard for you four to except him as you have seen Draco Malfoy and he was horrible. So please try to be nice to him."

The four teens sat down and Harry said he was going for a walk.

Harry walked to room with Draco/Narcissa in it. He walked up to the bed and sat on the chair. Ellie and Sirius weren't in there and when Harry walked in Mairead had walked out with a nod to Harry.

"Hey Draco..." he began shyly, not sure what to say. "Well me and the you that wasn't you – if that makes any sense - we hated each other. And this is going to be hard, you look like the person who hated me and made my life horrible.

I don't know if you can hear me and even if you can, I know that you can't wake up to see me.

I'm going to tell you about me. You might know me as 'the boy who lived', yea I'm Harry Potter, but I'm not a egotistical jerk, I'm just a guy who can't help the fact I was saved from Voldemort. I'm 17 like you and I'm in Gryffindor. I'm going to tell you something that I haven't even told Ron. I'm in love with his sister. He knows I like her and he knows we go out, but she's my reason for living and if she died I couldn't live with myself.

I'm telling you because I want you to understand that I want to be friends with you.

Well anyway if you remember any of this then please don't tell Ron he might kill me.

And when you awake even if others find it hard to accept you I will try my best." He finished with a sigh.

"You are in Love with me?" asked Ginny. She had been standing there for a while as she had followed him out of the kitchen.

Harry nodded meekly, but instead of breaking up with him like he expected she ran and hugged him.

"I love you to!" she whispered and she went over to Draco to have a chat with him.

"Ok, the Draco Malfoy we all knew hated me, my family, my friends, but you're not him and in time I hope we can be friends," she ended.

As she walked back to Harry, Harry took her hand and gently squeezed it and the walked tot he door pulled it open and smiled at Hermione and Ron who had just come round the corner.

Hermione and Ron walked in and took the seats either side of the bed.

"Well Draco, not you but your body used to make my life hell you used to upset me so much but that wasn't you and I know it seems weird but I'm starting to put that behind me I just need to get to know the real you." Hermione said in a soft voice.

"And I just need to get to know you then we could be great friends. I don't understand how it got like this but we will all look after you." Ron ended

Mrs Weasley knocked on the door

"Dinner's ready, come and sit up at the table." She said and the teens left.

"Draco Malfoy. Well you don't know me but we will get to know each other because I live here as well. Though you will have to go to Hogwarts you will always be welcome here. I can't believe that a mother and a father would or could do that to there own son. I know it's not much of an offer but I can help you and look after you, if you want me too. I hope that when you wake you'll be happy. I hate to see people sad." She came to a close.

Her husband came up behind her and kissed her cheek,

"Don't worry just be glad we found him, and we can do something about it."

He took his wife's hand and led her away. And Fred and George took over talking to Malfoy.

"Hey Dude, I'm Fred and this is George-"

"Hi, we are world's best pranksters, 'cept Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. But you hear more about them soon."

"Well we just want you to know we understand and if your good at jokes you should come to our shop."

"I just don't understand how someone could do this to there own son."

And Bill and Charlie came through and sat in the chairs.

"Hey I'm the oldest Weasley, Bill, and this is my next brother Charlie. We are a very close family and would die for each other. Even Harry who has no family who cares is a member of our family. And Hermione as well." Said Bill.

"As your family did this to you we would like you to become an honorary Weasley and we will treat you like one of us."

"And we hope you enjoy being a Weasley," added Percy who had come in through the door. "Mum says "Its Dinner time" and she wants Sirius and Mairead to take over as Draco's guard."

They all left and Sirius took a seat as Mairead took the other.

"Right then...I'm a relation of yours... Umm your mother was my cousin. And I didn't like her. We have a lot in common though, we both had friends we weren't supposed to. You had my little girl Ellie and I had Lily Evans. That's Harry Potters mum. My parents hated muggle and everything to do with them. When I feel in love with Ellie's mum who lived next door to Lily, it was love at first sight....

_**FLASHBACK  
**  
The door opened a crack and Lily screamed in delight._

"_Sirius, Remus and James, What are you doing here?"_

"_Well it's our last week of the summer before 6th year and we missed you." Said Remus._

"_Can we come in?"_

"_Of course."_

_They all trouped into the dinning room. _

"_And who is this Gorgeous Beauty I see here before me?" asked Sirius pointing to the young woman at the end of the table with dark red hair. The girl giggled and said_

"_Mairead Caldwell. A pleasure to meet you," she said shyly, and held out her hand. Sirius took her hand and kissed it and replied_

"_Sirius Black and the pleasure is all mine!"_

_**END FLASHBACK**_

Well anyway we began dating and soon it became the serious relationship I had ever been in. But soon enough my parents found and I was called to my fathers study.

FLASHBACK 

_Sirius sat on his bed feet sticking out and his head buried in what looked like a book called "Ancient Spells and the Counter Curses" but was really reading a letter sent to him by his sweet heart._

"_Master wants to see you in his study" said the ugly house elf at the foot of his bed._

_Sirius trapped his way downstairs and into his Father's dungeon-like study._

"_Son, I have been informed that you have not broken contact with that mudblood, Lucy Evut or something-"_

"_Lily Evans her name is and no I haven't. She is a good friend no matter what her blood type is."_

_His father shot him a dangerous look and continued_

"_As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, that it is rumoured that you are dating a muggle. A Muggle?"_

"_Yes father and don't expect me to break it off with her either."_

"_You will do as I say!" his father thundered. "I will not have my son polluting our bloodline with _filth_ like that! You are going to write a letter and break things off instantly."_

_And he thrust parchment and a quill at his son. Sirius looked at the objects stupidly for a moment before glancing up into his father's eyes. He spoke with a forced calmness that those closer to him than his parents would have recognised as far more dangerous than his raving._

"_You will not call Mairead filth. In fact you will not call her anything. You are not worthy to even say her name. She is a million times better than you, and I love her. I have absolutely no intention of "breaking things off". I love her and one day I will marry her, and this family will be better for having her in it. So shut up or I will hex you, father or not."_

_Mr Black gaped at his son for a moment, and was about to yell at him again when the bell announcing dinner rang through the house._

"_We will discuss this later" he hissed. "Get down to dinner we have guests, Narcissa and Bella."_

_He looked Sirius up and down. Sirius was wearing the latest muggle fashion clothes and a baseball cap._

"_ON the other hand you better get into some proper wizards clothes. Your brother is always on time and in the appropriate evening wear and he is younger that you."_

_Sirius went up stairs to his room and got dressed in his midnight blue evening robes and went down to dinner. To hear the delightful conversation the members of his family were having._

_**END FLASHBACK**_

That was the day I ran away from home. Your mother was my cousin, and I loved her when I was younger. I'm related to you and I will help you get through this. We are similar. If you remember any of this when you wake please come and tell me. I want to be a good Black." Sirius finished with a sigh.

"It must be hard on you, Darling as she looks just like Narcissa, the one thing you want to leave behind." Said Mairead comfortingly with a small squeeze.

She turned to Draco, "My little baby Believed in you when you were young and so I place all possible trust in you."

Mairead gently kiss Draco on the forehead and softly shut the door behind her and her husband.

They walked down stairs in silence. Sirius was deep in thought. When they reached the kitchen, Sirius threw himself into one of the comfy armchairs.

Mairead looked out to the chaotic scene before her. Everyone was running around looking for books.

"We have looked through every book, and still cant find the counter curse." Hermione was close to tears and Ron gave her a quick hug.

"There must be more books somewhere."

Sirius had been forced to bring up memories he would rather forget, when he had spoken to Draco and now memories flew through his mind like little film clips.

**FLASHBACK  
**

"..._You should have seen them squirm!" said a girls voice._

"_Really? Can I see your mark again?" asked a young boy of about 12._

_His cousins showed him the mark. A dark black skull and around the skull it was red and looked sore._

_Sirius looked at his brother's face as Narcissa and Bellatrix showed Regulas the Dark Mark. Pure hatred filled him as he thought of all those innocent muggles tortured by his own family._

_His Parents were looking at the two girls with a great longing._

"_We wish Sirius would hurry up and grow up and realise not to hang around muggle lovers and muggleborns. I feel like we have failed to bring him up correctly." His mother said_

"_Well there was this one filthy child in the orphanage who ran from us and hid in the cupboard... When we found her we took out her tongue first, there was so much blood, then we cursed her hands off, then we left her while we killed another boy and came back and gave her a doses of Crucio and left her there. We all knew she was going to die within half and hour so we let her die slowly and painfully."_

_Sirius began to feel sick. He ran up stairs and threw up. He was so disgusted and ashamed. He packed his trunk and threw some of the books his father had made him read under the lose floorboard in his bedroom. And took off for James Potters._

**END FLASHBACK**

"Sirius? Sirius? Sirius?" Remus shook him. "Are there any other books in the house?"

Sirius looked at Remus strangely

"What isn't there a counter curse in one of those books? No? Ok I don't think that there are any other books...WAIT yes there is."

And with that Sirius ran upstairs and looked under the floorboards where he had hidden those books. He took them out and ran back again. He put them on the table and said

"That's it, all the books in the house."

"WOW these are really old and dusty. Look at this one Ancient Curses and the counter curses. The pages are falling apart." Said Ron

"Shut up Ron, your disrupting my concentration." Said Hermione.

Ron looked put out for a second and opened the book at a random page.

"Hey, I found it!" he screamed.

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Thank you for reading and we hope you review. They are greatly appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7

"_WOW these are really old and dusty. Look at this one Ancient Curses and the counter curses. The pages are falling apart." Said Ron_

"_Shut up Ron, your disrupting my concentration," said Hermione._

_Ron looked put out for a second and opened the book at a random page._

"_Hey, I found it!" he screamed._

Upstairs, Ellie had slipped back into the room where Draco slept, despite the fact that both her father and her mother had ordered her to rest for a while. She seemed to have inherited her father's love of flouting the rules, and added to her strong desire to help her best friend the temptation to ignore her parents' instructions completely was too much to resist.

As she took up her customary chair by the bed, she noticed that the cheeks of the sleeping body held more colour than they had previously and that she (or should she say he?) slumbered in a more natural position.

She grasped one of the small, slender hands between her own, and began to talk quietly to her comatose friend.

"Hey Drake," she whispered. "I hope you wake up soon, I can't wait to talk to you again. I found out a few months back that I'm a witch too. My mum's a muggle, but my dad's a wizard. His name is Sirius Black. I suppose you've heard of him. He told me that he's a convicted murderer, but really he's innocent. He's related to you, did you know that? Your mother is his cousin, but he's nothing like her. It's nice to know my dad at last."

She sighed heavily.

"I'm so sorry about what happened to you. I just don't understand how anyone could do that to their own child. I guess I should have realised something was wrong when I got that letter. It was so horrible, Drake, cold and scathing. And I believed it came from you. I'm so sorry! Maybe I could have made things better if I had just..."

She broke off as the hand clasped between her own twitched. She looked up, and her eyes met the clear blue ones of Narcissa Malfoy. But none of the cold indifference that Narcissa usually exuded lay in those eyes. The warmth and intelligence of her childhood playmate, slightly dimmed by years of hardship and torture, encompassed them, giving the angular face beauty that Eleanor had never seen on it before.

"Not your fault, Nora," a voice, hoarse with disuse, assured her. "Couldn't have done anything."

"Draco!" she exclaimed in relief, pilling him into a loving hug. He stiffened for a moment, before relaxing into her arms. After a few minutes, she pulled back, and, turning, pored him a glass of water from the jug on the dresser. He nodded his thanks. She beamed at him as he gulped it down, her happiness and relief palpable.

"How did you know it was me?" he questioned when he had finished.

She reached out to touch his tattoo in explanation, but he flinched as if he expected her to strike him before the movement was complete. She clamped down on the impulse to be hurt by that reminding herself that he had been abused all his life and had not seen her for six years. She gave him an encouraging smile.

"You know I'd never hurt you, don't you Drake?" Ellie asked softly.

He nodded his mother's head, ashamed at his instinctive action, expecting her to draw back. Instead, she repeated the motion, slowly this time so that he could watch her hand, barely touching her fingers to the ugly mark on his skin.

"My dad knew that Narcissa had taken the Mark," she explained. "It was unusual, that she, you, didn't have it now, so we researched the tattoo. And you talk in your sleep. It wasn't hard to work out what happened. I'm so sorry Drake, no-one should have to go through that."

Tears were slipping down her face, and Draco surprised her by initiating contact, pulling her into an one-armed hug, and using the pads of his fingers on the other hand to wipe the tears away.

"Don't be sorry, Nora," he whispered. "There's nothing you could have done."

And he surprised her again by patting the bed next to him, inviting her to sit shoulder to shoulder with him. She complied.

"So, Nor. Where am I?"

Downstairs, in the kitchen, everyone was staring at Ron, surprised.

Hermione was one of the first to recover from her shock.

"Pass it here," she demanded.

She quickly scanned the passage Ron indicated, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"This is it!" she exclaimed.

"Well then 'Mione, lets hear it!" Remus told her with a smile.

So she cleared her throat and began to read.

"_The counter spell for _Animus Muto_ is a simple ritual, but it must be performed by a witch or wizard more powerful than the original caster. The subjects are placed next to other in the same type of casting circle as the original spell. Their hands must be bound together with a red ribbon soaked in the potion used in the spell. The caster aims his or her wand at their joined hands and intones the incantation _Abrumpo Pestis. _The souls will return to their rightful places. However, the backlash of magic that was used to keep the souls in the wrong place will knock the subjects out. The longer since the spell was performed, the more magic will be released and the more likely in is for the subjects to become comatose. The longest stretch of unconsciousness recorded in the aftermath of this spell is 3 months and 12 days." _

Meanwhile, upstairs, Ellie had just finished explaining to Draco where he was. She did not go into detail about the Order, because she had no idea if she was allowed to.

"Drake, think that you're up to walking downstairs?"

Draco nodded.

"You'll help me?" he asked.

Once he was out of bed, he found he could stand, but had to lean heavily on Ellie to walk. Ellie took the dressing gown hanging on the back of the door down and helped her friend into it, and they made their was slowly down the stairs.

It took them some time to reach the kitchen, and when they entered everyone was gathered round the table having a heated discussion. Professors Snape and Dumbledore had evidently been called, and Ellie hoped that it was because they found the countercurse.

"But if the ritual will knock them both out, we should at least wait until Draco's awake! We have no idea how it would affect him in his current state," Remus was arguing. Several people started to voice objections, but Dumbledore silenced them all by agreeing with the werewolf.

Ellie smiled and said, "You won't have to wait anyway."

Everyone turned and noticed that she was supporting a slightly pale Narcissa Malfoy, though anyone who had known Narcissa could spot the subtle differences of countenance between her and the woman (boy) standing in front of them.

Each person greeted Draco politely, and after a while he grew used to the handshakes and gentle pats on his shoulder, and relaxed. Dumbledore explained the countercurse to Draco and Eleanor, and told them that Professor Snape was going to make the potion that evening. He then smiled and told them to get some sleep. Draco was exhausted from the trip down, and so Dumbledore levitated the chair he was sitting on up to his room.

The next day, the Order was gathered in the drawing room of 12 Grimmauld Place for the countercurse. Tonks, Kingsley and Moody had brought Narcissa in Draco's body, and she and her son had been positioned as the book instructed. When Dumbledore performed the spell, the room was filled with a blinding flash of red light, and a puff of purple smoke. When the smoke had cleared and their eyes had recovered they could see the slumped and unconscious forms of Draco and his mother, souls returned to their rightful places.

We apologise, but it will be some time before we update, we are moving house on Thursday, and we don't know when we'll be online at our new place. Many thanks to our reveiwers.


	8. Chapter 8

**Animus Muto Chapter 8**

Two ministry officials took Narcissa away and left Draco in the care Professor Snape, his godfather. Sirius and Mairead lifted Draco up and took him to a blue room in between Sirius and Mairead's bedroom and Ellie's room. They lay him on the bed and told Ellie to stay with him until he woke.

Ellie sat down, a fantasy book in hand and a steaming cup of hot chocolate on the bedside table. She curled up in the comfy chair and got lost into a world full of good versus evil where good always wins. This helped her forget the reality of the world in which she lived, where evil was becoming more and more likely to triumph.

Soon her eyes closed and her head slumped forward and she fell into the mists of dreamless sleep. When she awoke it was dark and she shivered, the house always became more creaky and scary when it was dark despite the renovations that had been done by her parents and their friends over the last few years. She shivered again and shifted slightly.

"Cold?" asked a voice from the bed, a voice she hadn't heard for almost 10 years. Draco's voice! She jumped and when she had got over the shock she said.

"A bit…I'll turn the lights on…" And she got up and went over to the lights. The light came on and she could see a pale frame of a teenage boy curled up around the blankets.

She walked over to him pulled the covers out and tried to make them more comfortable for him. He touched her and tingles shot up her arm in response.

"Ellie your freezing, come under the covers." Draco said and pulled her into the bed. She lay next to him absorbing his heat. He was wearing a pair of Ron's cord cargo trousers and a scarlet top of Harry's.

They both felt their eyes drooping and soon Ellie was asleep. Draco felt Ellie move closer to him as she slept and he fell asleep with a small smile on his face.

_Draco's dream_

_Draco and Ellie were running around, the sun shinning and they were having a water fight. Both smiling and laughing and then a baneful figure in the background covered the sun cast a shadow over the happy picture turning it dark. The figure shot green light out of his wand at Draco and he shut his eyes tight waiting for the inevitable impact. He opened his eys a few seconds later and relised that Ellie had jumped in the way of the green light that was to end his life. Her lifeless body had fallen to Draco's feet._

_"Crucio!" the man cried, for it was a man, Lucius Malfoy in fact. "Hurts doesn't it?"_

_END Dream_

Ellie woke up as Draco began to shake and move in his sleep. Sweat mixed with the tears streaming down his flushed cheeks. His body shook violently and he screamed. Ellie tried to wake him but she couldn't. She opened the door and called for help.

Harry, Ron and Hermione ran down to the hall to her.

"What's up we heard screaming!" Hermione asked and Ellie just pointed to the figure in the bed.

"He looks like he is under the Cruciatus curse. We have to wake him up" Harry told them.

"Stupefy!" Hermione said and then whispered "Enervate."

Draco blinked twice and Ellie ran and hugged him. Harry, Ron and Hermione left quietly sensing that what Draco needed was his old friend not three almost complete strangers. The two stood in the middle of the room for a while then Ellie stepped back. She could see tears forming in his blue eyes that were dimmed by traumatic experiences.

He began to cry and clung to Ellie as if he would never let go, as if, if he did, she would disappear.

Ellie led him towards the bed and they both lay down and sleep soon claimed them.

* * *

A week passed and Draco had a nightmare every night, but still refused to talk about it. The only time he talked in the presence of anyone other than Ellie was when he was in lessons. These lessons were aimed to make sure Ellie and Draco were ready to enter sixth year at the end of the summer. Draco and Ellie, had progressed through first and second year work and were beginning to study on third year course. It was clear to anyone, even a casual observer, that both students were intelligent and were capable of catching up on the required work.

Ellie and Draco only ventured out of their room for lessons, meals and the occasional meeting that they were required to attend. Much to Molly disapproval, Ellie and Draco still slept in the same bed in the same room. Sirius and Mairead only approved because Draco was noticeably calmer during the day and sometimes as he slept if his best friend kept him company through the night.

Remus taught most of their lessons though professor Snape taught Potions and Herbology, McGonagall occasionally could be found to be teaching them the harder points of Transfiguration and Hestia Jones taught History of magic. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny joined in for a lot of their lessons to aid revision for NEWTS and to give Ginny the perfect chance to ogle Harry, though Remus was either blind or ignoring this.

One Morning Draco and Ellie were sitting in the drawing room waiting for Remus to arrive and reading up on some Potions work for Snape.

"Good Morning you two." Remus said brightly as he walked in to the room "How are you? Ready to start?

"Fine thank you, and yes I am ready." Remus answered for both his students, as all they did was nod in response to his question.

"Right then, today we will be studying Boggarts, Fortunately, Dumbledore managed to find one and had it sent here. It is currently residing in the attic. Now I have to go and find Hermione, if you will excuse me, as Hermione wanted to revise this topic she had the most difficulty doing in third year. Will you to please make your way upstairs, to the attic? Please don't open the door until I get there.

"Yes sir." They said and Ellie reached out for Draco's hand ready to go running off upstairs. Remus put his hand on Draco's shoulder and said

" If you are not comfortable about doing this, please tell me now, I am not going to make you do this and if you are uncomfortable about doing it, I won't be cross. If you would like to try it another day, that would be fine too."

"I want to, this evil-" Draco called his father a rather crude swear word "-has wrecked enough of my life already, I don't want him to win."

Remus gave his shoulder a squeeze and pushed him on his way. Draco and Ellie raced off upstairs to the attic leaving Remus at the bottom of the stairs.

As Hermione was the only one present at this lesson, Remus was back quite quickly. Hermione had been to most of these lessons and knew better than to ask questions, so usually in a lesson, Hermione sat in a corner taking notes on the techniques used in each lesson.

"First, we must ask ourselves 'What is a boggart?' Remus asked the two students. "And Where does it live?" He said sitting down by the suitcase next to him.

"A boggart is a shape shifter that takes the form of what ever frightens us most and it lives in dark places such as wardrobes, cupboards etc" Draco told Remus

"Well done, I see you have read ahead. " the teacher smiled at him, "Well we have a slight advantage to day, do you see it Ellie?

"Because there are a few of us and so it will get confused about which thing to be." Ellie was proud to show; she to had read ahead. The suitcase wobbled alarmingly and Ellie looked slightly nervous.

"The charm that repels a boggart is simple but you have to be very sure in your mind that you want to do it. This isn't a charm you can do with your mind on your dinner. The thing that finishes a boggart off is laughter. So we force it to assume a shape we find amusing. All you need to say is 'Riddikulus." Their nod followed. "Now you try, just say it and hold your wand out in front of you,"

"Riddikiluis" the students both said obediently and a strong wind shot from their wands, blowing old parchment and dust around the attic.

"Perfect. Now me and Hermione will demonstrate first ok?" The two students nodded, Remus opened the suitcase with a spell and Hermione sprung froward ready to attack the boggart.

The boggart burst out as a skull, a green skull with a forked tongue. The dark mark. Hermione screamed then cried "Riddiculus."

A jug of water appeared suspended in the air then drenched the mark. It made a satisfying hissing noise and fazzled out. Hermione grinned at her work.

The boggart landed in front of Remus as a white moon. When Remus cried "Riddiculus", a giant foot, in mid air, stomped it on.

"Ok, Draco forward." Remus called. The boggart became the terrifying image of Lucius Malfoy. Draco gasped and was almost glued to the spot. Everyone ion the room froze as the boggart lunged at Draco.

But he just said "Riddikulus" and Lucius was wearing a knee length skirt and top, with an apron, he was a waitress and on his feet were bright neon pink roller skates so he was sliding and slipping all over the floor.

"Well done, Ellie forward" Ellie walked to take on the boggart. The figure of Narcissa Malfoy descended towards Ellie.

"Riddikulus" she said boldly and Narcissa stumbled forwards and her hair fell off and her clothes became ripped and her face wrinkled. She was a mess. Remus called Draco forward to finish the boggart off. As the image of Lucius Malfoy reappeared in full wizarding robes with a high collar, he was back in a similar outfit as before. This time with a shorter black skirt, button up black shirt complete with pink frilly apron and roller skates but this time his hair was pulled up into two high pigtails and his face was caked in makeup. Draco and Ellie let out a burst of laughter and the boggart exploded into a million pieces.

"Well done. I am very proud of you both. Would you re–read the section on Boggarts and jot down the main points for you revision?"

"Yes Sir," they chorused.

"How many times must I tell you, call me Remus or Moony or if you have to Lupin. If you call me Sir it makes me feel old." The two young students laughed nervously and ran out of the room.

* * *

A couple of days later, on a Sunday morning, Draco and Ellie were in their room. Having just got out of bed, Ellie was wearing a vest and a pair of pyjama shorts and Draco only a towel wrapped firmly around his waist. Draco had just got out of the shower and Ellie was just going to get in when they heard a knocking on their door and Harry started talking.

"Draco? Umm Ron and I and Ginny and … some others are going to play Quidditch and we were wondering if you wanted to play. If you don't, we won't mind but we would like you to play. See you."

Ellie looked at Draco's face, it was unreadable, as it so often was. ' He won't go and play, he is still to nervous around them.' She knew he needed more time to adjust to them, to become friends with them. He had been very bold and always ready to try new things when he was younger, but since his ordeal he was less eager to talk to people. Though Ellie didn't know Harry or the others, she felt drawn to them and wanted Draco to be friends with them; they had proved to be very trustworthy and the best friends she had, except Draco of course.

Ellie grabbed her clothes and told Draco she was going to do some reading in the library and if he wanted to do something with her to come and find her. Ellie left and Draco hurriedly put some clothes on and went down for some toast.

After Ellie had showered she dressed and went into the grand library with some toast. The Library had walls of books and then some books on shelves in the middle of the room and one big window facing the extensive gardens with a window seat. All around the room there were big comfy armchairs, but Ellie sat on the window seat.

In one of the arm chairs, completely enthralled by the exquisite work of Jane Austin, sat Hermione. When Ellie entered Hermione simply smiled and carried on reading.

Outside the window there was a big oak tree, and underneath it Harry and Ron stood, brooms in hand. Fred and George had just mounted their brooms and taken off, along with Tonks, Bill, Charlie and Sirius. Ellie scanned the pitch for Ginny; she spotted her up above the tree, next to someone with blonde hair some one who looked suspiciously like…

Draco had run downstairs, grabbed some toast off Mrs Weasley and sprinted out of the back door. Harry and Ron had been standing next to each other, the others hovering around them.

"Do you think I could play?" Draco asked boldly regaining some of his old self. They had all grinned encouragingly and passed him a broom. He had mounted and was soon soaring through the air next to Ginny.

The players had already split into teams: one team was Harry – seeker, Ron – keeper, Ginny – chaser 1, George – beater and him – chaser 2. On the other team there was Charlie – seeker, Tonks-keeper, Bill–chaser 1, Fred – beater and Sirius – chaser 2. It was "oldies" verses young ones. This was going to be interesting.

The match began. Ginny and Draco worked well together weaving in and out of the opposition and after 10 minuets it was 50:30 to the young ones.

Draco hadn't ridden a broom in along time, but he soon realised just how much he had missed it, as he felt the thrill of diving from a great height and the adrenaline coursing in his veins. He dived again pulled up just as his toes grazed the lawn.

Inside, Ellie was reading, well pretending to read, but actually watching Draco. The book was a potions book: "potions Made Easy". Her excuse for not reading this was that the book was so boring and dull, it was, in her opinion, enough to put someone off reading for life.

She saw the Quaffle (if the quaffle was the big red football like thing) fly around the pitch, being thrown around from a couple of players. Ginny and Draco mostly had the ball and were almost always getting it through the hoops, though Tonks seemed to block a few. Then she saw, after a few hours, Harry dive over to the where Draco was flying, just a few feet from the ground and grasp something, smile at Draco and then the game seemed to end as every one seemed to stop what they were doing.

As the teams landed there were smiles all round, team-mates clapped each other on the back and laughing and teasing about their mistakes. Soon it began to rain, as if someone was tipping buckets of water from the sky and most of the players ran in. Tonks was screaming "My hair, my hair" as she ran, only to calm when she was met by Remus at the door, a fluffy pink towel grasped in his hands.

Draco sped for the house, Sirius in hot pursuit, the elder shaking his head in denial at the teenager's words: "The years catching up with you, old man? Going slightly senile in your old age?"

Harry, Ron and Ginny stayed out in the rain, Ginny dancing and spinning gracefully around the lawn, waving her arms turning in dizzying pirouettes and performing arabesques and little jumps.

Ellie heard Hermione leave the library in a rush. Seconds later, she ran out of the front door and out onto the lawn where Ron met her. He kissed her cheek, then her mouth. Hermione smiled and led Ron under the tree, hoping for a little shelter from the pouring rain.

Ellie hid a sigh at this and looked over to where Ginny was still dancing, her boyfriend's eyes following her, full of mirth. Mid arabesque Ginny slipped and fell down in the mud. Harry laughed out loud at this, and Ginny went as red as her hair and responded by throwing some mud at him. Soon it was a full-blown mud fight.

Harry had Ginny pinned down one the floor and she seemed to be struggling to get up. Her eyes were dancing as she looked at her boyfriend. She closed the gap between them as what seemed like a diversion. It also appeared that she had forgotten her plan for revenge, distracted by the kiss.

This time Ellie could not hide her sigh and she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see a dishevelled looking Draco walking towards her, a smirk on his face, a gleam in his eyes.

His trousers and shoes were caked in mud and his once white tee shirt was now see-through with accompanying mud marks. His arms had a case of goose bumps (1) and his face wet with rain and sweat. On one cheek he had a smudge of mud and concealed in his mussed up blonde hair, wet and windswept, was a dark green leaf.

Ellie had to stifle a giggle at this as she saw her friend's attire. Her dark eyes met his and their gazes locked. She continued to walk towards him and as soon as she was close enough, reached out and wiped the smudge of mud off his face. His skin was warm. Her hand did not move as the other stretched to dislodge the leaf that was embedded in his hair. It was very soft. She moved the hand from his face down to his chest. There was silence. She could hear her own heart beat thumping in her chest, and feel his pounding against her palm. Their eyes were still locked and it seemed as though time had stopped.

Draco lowered his lips on to Ellie's, and her eyelids fluttered shut. They stood kissing in the dark, deserted, but now strangely warm, library.

* * *

Thank you to all our reviewers and we are sorry it took so long. We just moved house and then I was in hospital so we didn't get round to it. Please review. 


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